Application Sharing Between Endpoint Devices

Abstract

An endpoint framework is implemented for sharing one or more applications between one or more endpoint devices. To initiate sharing of an application, the system includes a first endpoint device running an application that generates notifications based on a condition or status of the application running. The first endpoint device provides these notifications to a second endpoint device which are output by the second endpoint device. The second endpoint device receives interactions with the output notifications and provides these interactions to the first endpoint device. In response to the interactions indicating the initiation of application sharing, the first endpoint device generates an application stream relating to the running application and provides it to the second endpoint device.

1 . A method, comprising:
 generating a notification related to an application running on a first endpoint device;   receiving, from a second endpoint device, a signal representing an interaction with the notification;   initiating an application stream based on the interaction with the notification; and   transmitting, by the first endpoint device, the application stream to the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a condition of the application running on the first endpoint device, wherein the notification related to the application is generated based on the condition of the application.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the condition comprises an incoming phone call. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining an application control based on the interaction with the notification, wherein the application stream is initiated further based on the application control.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the application control comprises at least one of an application stream initiation, an application quit, an application ignore, or an application command. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rendering a plurality of application frames based on the application running on the first endpoint device; and   encoding the plurality of application frames to produce at least a portion of the application stream.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the application stream comprises at least a portion of a video call. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rendering audio data based on the application running on the first endpoint device; and   encoding the audio data to produce at least a portion of the application stream.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the application stream comprises at least a portion of a phone call. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 transmitting a notification related to an application running on a first endpoint device to a second endpoint device;   receiving, from the second endpoint device, data indicating an interaction with the notification;   in response to the data indicating the interaction with the notification, generating an application stream representing at least a portion of the application running on the first endpoint device; and   transmitting the application stream to the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining a condition of the application running on the first endpoint device; and   in response to determining the condition of the application, generating the notification related to the application.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 rendering audio data based on the application running on the first endpoint device; and   encoding the audio data to produce an encoded audio stream.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the application stream includes the encoded audio stream. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 rendering a frame based on the application running on the first endpoint device; and   encoding the frame to produce an encoded video stream.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the application stream includes the encoded video stream. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the notification includes a prompt to accept a call. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the notification includes a prompt to activate an input device of the second endpoint device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the first endpoint device, data representing an interaction with at least a portion of the application stream from the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 modifying the application running on the first endpoint device based on the interaction with at least a portion of the application stream.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 generating a modified application stream based on the interaction with at least a portion of the application stream; and   transmitting the modified application stream to the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 outputting a notification related to an application running on a second endpoint device at a first endpoint device;   receiving an interaction with the notification;   transmitting data representing the interaction with the notification to the first endpoint device; and   receiving an application stream related to the application running on the second endpoint device from the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the notification is output by an output device including at least one of a display or speaker. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 outputting at least a portion of the application stream by the output device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the interaction is received by an input device including at least one of a touchscreen, mouse, keyboard, remote control, or microphone. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 receiving an interaction with the application stream by the input device; and   transmitting data representing the interaction with the application stream to the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 receiving a modified application stream based on the interaction with the application stream from the second endpoint device.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 decoding at least a portion of the application stream to produce a decoded video stream.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 decoding at least a portion of the application stream to produce a decoded audio stream.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the notification includes a prompt to accept a call. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the application stream includes at least a portion of a phone call. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first endpoint device has a first operating system, and the second endpoint device has a second, different operating system. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the second, different operating system has at least one different interface, language, memory management technique, communication protocol, encryption, or network stack from the first operating system. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled)